A trio of Rydal Penrhos pupils have made it through to the district final of a prestigious competition.

Cerys Cuddihy, Kevin Farrell and Sydney Johnson, all Year 9 pupils at the school, won the regional heat of the Rotary International’s Youth Speaks competition, which was held at Colwyn Bay Cricket Club recently.

Competing against teams from Coleg Llandrillo and Eirias High School, the three pupils delivered a tremendous address on their chosen topic which was ‘Guilt – is it good or bad?’ to secure the crown.

They will now go on to the district final of the competition, which will take place on Friday, March 3 at Glyndwr University in Wrexham.

Their win rounded off a highly successful night for Rydal Penrhos, who gained the top four places in the Intermediate section and were all commended for their “mature and professional presentations”, with lead speakers Eliza Harrison-Dine, Guan Zhao and Amanda Sperring coming in for special praise.

Deputy Head Tim Cashell, said: “Congratulations to all out competitors on what was a hugely enjoyable and successful night for our school.

“Cerys, Kevin and Sydney delivered a fantastic presentation which deservedly caught the eye of the judges, and everyone at Rydal Penrhos wishes them the very best of luck as they look for further recognition at the district finals.”